Front-runner withdraws from Jakob Chychrun sweepstakes

A recent trade report got the attention of most teams across the NHL. Last week, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that the Arizona Coyotes are shopping defenseman Jakob Chychrun, and several teams are looking to get into the mix. The insider himself was convinced that the best fit for Chychrun was to land with the Oilers, as he believed he could help address their need for a left-shot defenseman and become a target for in Edmonton.

It was made clear that Chychrun has not requested a trade, the Coyotes are aware that the rebuild will be more challenging for the blue liner in the prime of his career at 23 years old. They also know his value will never be higher than it is right now, seeing that is questionable performance is more linked to the team’s struggles than his talent.

However, the asking price is “massive” and this may be why on Wednesday morning, Friedman is now reporting that the Oilers have withdrawn from the Chychrun sweepstakes.

“I thought Edmonton made perfect sense for a Jakob Chychrun destination, but a few sources have said it’s very unlikely to be the Oilers," Friedman wrote in his latest 32 Thoughts column on Sportsnet. 

The Oilers are apparently out now that other teams are jumping into the mix and have become quite interested in the young blue liner. Just yesterday, Joe Haggerty of Boston Hockey Now suggested the Bruins might go after Chychrun.

“They’re not in it as much as some other teams are,” said Friedman about the Oilers on the 32 Thoughts podcast.

The return price might be too much for them as it has been said that Chychrun could get the Coyotes as much as a four pieces in a deal and that means Edmonton has to part with some pretty good assets.

This is a new twist in the defenseman’s sweepstakes seeing that he would be a good fit in Edmonton.

Some chatter hinted at the Toronto Maple Leafs also looking at Chychrun as an option. For the Bruins, Haggerty suggested that it could prove too expensive for the Bruins in terms of draft picks and cheap talented prospects. The reporter therefore suggested some proposals for a trade for Chychrun: one is Matt Grzelcyk or Brandon Carlo along with Jack Studnicka plus a first-round pick and a second-rounder as a “starting-off point” in trade conversations. The second is Studnicka, Jake DeBrusk, Urho Vaakanainen and a pair of draft picks.

This will be a fun trade rumour to follow.